“If you want to teach people a new way of thinking, don’t bother trying to teach them. Instead, give them a tool, the use of which will lead to new ways of thinking.” – Richard Buckminister Fuller 

Why?

Ensuring that your organisation and the individuals within it have the confidence and capacity to meet with various strategic communication challenges is essential for success.

The Training Unit offers tailor made capacity strengthening modules to meet the challenges of communication for development. Using best practice extrapolated from considerable experience in the field, the Training Unit offers communication solutions for a variety of development challenges. Whether you are trying to map your audience, improve your social media skills or develop a communication strategy, the Training Unit can find solutions to meet your capacity building needs.

What services do we offer?

Training Modules include:

  • Evidence-informed policymaking: We train researchers and research organisations/management in how their evidence can be used to inform policy, and the frameworks that are available for them to understand their policy environments.
  • Data visualisation: We teach researchers and communications officers the key means of effectively presenting their data, the variety of free options available for visualising data, and how data can travel through social media networks.
  • Presentation skills: We teach researchers, communications officers, and organisational spokespersons how to: be effective public speakers, give engaging PowerPoint presentations, and criticise the presentations of others so as to better inform their own.
  • Policy Briefs: This module is designed for researchers, communication/press units, and project team leaders. Participants learn: the value and impact of using policy briefs to reach, engage and inform decision-makers; the key principles for creating a powerful policy brief; and how to use policy briefs in framing messages and creating dialogue.
  • Engaging with the Media: This course is helpful for project staff, researchers, programme team leaders, organisational spokespersons, and communication and media units. Participants are instructed on the role of the media in raising profile, building reputation, communicating message and mission. They also learn innovative and creative techniques that attract media attention, and how to deliver the company’s key messages.
  • Designing a Communication Strategy: Participants are taught the potential of communication strategies to deliver positive organisational outcomes. They are given the means to write a strategy, to budget for a strategy; and to identify skills needed for delivering a strategy.
  • Knowledge Management: Participants are taught the potential of Web 2.0 tools for knowledge sharing. They are also made aware of the free online tools that are available for collaborative working. Furthermore, they are given an understanding of smart working so as to maximise organisational effectiveness.
  • Social Media: Participants understand the role of the media in achieving their organisational mission. Further, they understand the key digital platforms and tools for broadcasting information to key audiences, the principles for maximising engagement, and how to monitor and evaluate the results of social media investments.

What can you expect?

  • Participants will acquire new skills, tools and knowledge to help them deliver to your organisational goals;
  • Participants will gain confidence in delivering to key outcome areas;
  • Participants will gain hands on experience in using new skills and tools;
  • Participants will be equipped with a new way of approaching communication challenges;
  • Participants will gain an appreciation for strategic communication and how it can improve your organisations visibility.

Why CommsConsult?

You will receive a tailored service from a team of communication experts experienced in international development.

We will work to design and deliver exactly what you need.

We will use our expertise in the field to identify and engage the right audiences.

You will gain from services which embody the passion and professionalism of our team.